Advertising-balloon



(No Model.)

R. WILSON. ADVERTISING BALLOON.

No. 496,177. Patented Apr. 25, 1893.

UNITED STATES Prism OFFICE.

ROBERT WILSON, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

ADVERTISING-BALLOON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,177, dated April 25, 1893.

Application filed May 2'7, 1892. Serial No. 434, 615. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, Shelby county, Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ad vertising-Balloons, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is designed to provide a balloon for advertising purposes, and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly described and then definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a view showing my balloon in use. Figs. 2 and 3 are transparencies to be used with my balloon, representing respectively a full and half moon. Fig. 4. shows part of the frame of one of my transparencies with candle.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by figures--1 represents the balloon of any approved material or construction provided with the usual netting 2 from which hangs a series of poles 3, from which depend transparencies 4 hung by hooks 5 from the poles 3. Each transparency consists of a frame havinga bottom on which is supported a candle 6 as shown in Fig. 4. The transparent or translucent sides are to be made movable so that any letter or figure desired may be set in either or all of the transparencies at will. To allow of this, the frames of the transparencies are made with grooves as shown in Fig. 4. to allow of the ready removal or change of the slides. I prefer to attach to the lowest pole a larger transparency the better to attract attention. I have shown on Fig. 1 a transparency of a comet, but this may be exchanged for either of the transparencies shown by Figs. 2 and 3, if preferred, or any other that may be desired or required to suit the ideas of the manufacturer, or of any advertiser who might desire to show some special design.

In use Ipropose at present to illuminate the transparencies with candles as shown in Fig. 4, but of course any other means of lighting may be employed, such as oil lamps or incandescent electric lights.

In order to draw particular attention to the signs I propose to provide the legs of the transparency with clasps 7 or other receptacles into which may be set sky rockets 8 or other fire-works, from the ends of which pass fuses 9 whose ends are passed through holes in the candle, so that when the latter has burned down to one of the fuses, said fuse is lighted and the rocket or' other fire-work is ignited and discharged, and thus attention will be drawn to the sign from which it emanated. As the candle burns away another fuse is reached and another rocket is fired as before, thus again calling attention to the sign. In some cases I may dispense with the larger transparencies, and use nothing but the smaller ones with letters on their sides, and attach the rockets to them.

By the above described arrangement I am enabled to produce a very superior advertising means which from its novelty will attract great attention, and especially when the automatically discharged fire works are employed. The balloon is of course to be provided with the usual rope 10 by which its height above the' houses can be regulated, and by which it can be drawn down when desired. The small transparencies may be arranged so that the letter will appear one under the other instead of in horizontal lines as shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim as new is- 1. The combination with a balloon, of a rope depending therefrom, a series of rods one below the other hung upon said'rope and two or more rows of independent transparencies, each hung from a rod and having a movable and transferable plate on opposite sides, whereby any desired lettering may be displayed and then readily changed for other lettering, all substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with a transparency, of a candle to illumine the same, a fire-work attached to said transparency, and a fuse conmeeting the candle and fire-Work, whereby the candle performs the double function of lighting the transparency and discharging the firework, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 23d day of May, 1892.

ROBERT WILSON. Witnesses:

A. SELEcrrsoN, CHAS. REDELSHEIMER. 

